Disney Just Announced A New Smoking Ban In All Of Its California And Florida Theme Parks

Kim Wong-Shing is a staff writer at LittleThings. Her work spans beauty, wellness, pop culture, identity, food, and other topics. She is a contributing writer at NaturallyCurly, and her work has also appeared in HelloGiggles, Lifehacker, Wear Your Voice Magazine, and other outlets. She grew up in Philadelphia, attended Brown University, and is now based in New Orleans.

Bad news for smokers who want to enjoy the Most Magical Place on Earth: Disney has officially banned smoking throughout all of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and other California and Florida parks.

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The company announced the news on the Disney Parks Blog. The post says that “beginning May 1, smoking areas will no longer be present inside Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks, water parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex or Downtown Disney District in California.”

Anyone caught smoking inside the parks will be asked to leave. Designated smoking areas will continue to be available outside of the park entrances.

“As we expand our offerings, we continue to take steps to enhance the guest experience and make it more enjoyable for everyone who visits,” Disney spokesperson Liz Jaeger told the New York Times.

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The smoking ban comes alongside a few other policy changes, including new stroller size requirements and a ban on loose ice.

Disney just announced a series of policy changes on the Disney Parks Blog. Most of the new rules are pretty minor and uncontroversial — loose ice and dry ice, for example, are no longer allowed within the park, so visitors will have to use ice packs or grab free ice at the park.

The smoking ban begins on May 1, along with the new stroller requirements.

Per the Disney Parks Blog, designated smoking areas will be available outside of the entrances to the parks. Also, guests who are staying or dining at hotels within the Disney Resort can access smoking areas there.

It’s not clear whether other theme parks will follow Disney’s lead. A spokeswoman for Cedar Fair Parks says she’s not aware of any plan to ban smoking, and a rep for Six Flags Great Adventure didn’t respond to the Times.